Also in the Region

Pinot Noir

Though grown in cooler wine regions around the world, pinot noir is best known as the red wine grape of Burgundy (it is apparently of French origin), and to a lesser extent as one of two red-wine grapes used in the production of champagne. The wine it produces tends to be lighter in color and body than most other reds, but very aromatic, and it can have intense but elegant flavor. It has been called "feminine," "romantic," and "sexy." It seems to be particularly sensitive to its environment, and viticulturists have expended much time and effort developing clones particularly suited to this or that microclimate (there are more than 50 major clones in France alone). In America, pinot noir has been very successful in California, especially in Sonoma County and the Central Coast, and the pinot noirs of Oregon are very highly regarded. It is also grown in 25 or 30 other countries, from Austria to Ukraine, including most of Eastern Europe, England, Canada, and Switzerland. Pinot noir from New Zealand is beginning to find a place in the international wine market.